Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tony Vaughan this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 94 · this parliament
What assessment has been made of the adequacy of the 26-week continuous employment threshold for eligibility for Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay under the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018; and what steps they are taking to ensure that bereaved parents are able to access financial support during a period of bereavement leave, regardless of length of service with their current employer.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact on patients and NHS waiting lists of surgical operations being cancelled due to contaminated or defective sterile surgical instrument components; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure inspection protocols are in place to prevent theatre lists being assembled before defects in outsourced surgical parts are identified.
Awaiting answer.
What guidance the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency provides on purchasing prescription-only medicines from overseas online providers for personal use.
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of reviewing the advisory status of Highway Code Rule 59 as it relates to the wearing of (a) helmets and (b) high visibility clothing by cyclists.
There are no plans to make it a requirement for cyclists to wear a helmet or high visibility clothing when cycling.
What steps the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is taking to regulate the practice of overseas online prescribers supplying medicines to UK residents.
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of people purchasing medicines from overseas online pharmacies on patient safety.
In August 2025, the Department launched a United Kingdom-wide Call for Evidence (CfE) considering whether the existing regulation and monitoring of private, non-National Health Service prescribing remains fit for purpose, and to ensure that patients can continue to safely access high-quality medicines through all legal routes in the UK. Further information on the CfE is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/private-non-nhs-prescribing/private-non-nhs-prescribing-call-for-evidence-document#annex-b-regulatorsThe Department sought views on how it could continue to ensure that the medicines people need are available conveniently and promptly, whilst maintaining the UK's high standards of medicine regulation, prescribing, and use. The CfE gave the public, healthcare professionals and providers, and other interested parties the opportunity to share their views on private prescribing, including prescribing from European Economic Area based practitioners.The CfE ran from 12 August to 4 November 2025. A total of 458 responses were received: 68 on behalf of an organisation; 168 as a healthcare professional responding in a personal capacity; and 222 from members of the public. The types of organisations who responded to the CfE included pharmaceutical companies, professional bodies and regulators, pharmacy organisations, advocacy groups, and healthcare providers. Healthcare professionals who responded were largely from pharmacy, general practice, and nursing. Officials are analysing results to inform next steps. A Government response will be published in due course.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing BREAKWATER for cancer patients.
Awaiting answer.
What steps he is taking to ensure the safe disposal of solar panels and wind turbines at the end of their viability.
It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
What steps she is taking to reduce the number of driving tests terminated on the grounds of public safety.
To reduce missed appointments, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) issues text reminders to learners between 2 and 12 days beforehand to help learners plan for their test. Learners can also get email alerts, check their test details online, and find resources on the GOV.UK website. Driving examiners will terminate a test on public safety grounds only where it is necessary to manage risk to the learner, the examiner or other road users. Through its "Ready to Pass?" campaign, DVSA encourages learners to make sure that they will be ready and able to take the test they have booked and to change or cancel their appointment in good time if they are not.
What steps she is taking to help reduce the number of driving test appointments wasted due to candidates failing to attend.
To reduce missed appointments, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) issues text reminders to learners between 2 and 12 days beforehand to help learners plan for their test. Learners can also get email alerts, check their test details online, and find resources on the GOV.UK website. Driving examiners will terminate a test on public safety grounds only where it is necessary to manage risk to the learner, the examiner or other road users. Through its "Ready to Pass?" campaign, DVSA encourages learners to make sure that they will be ready and able to take the test they have booked and to change or cancel their appointment in good time if they are not.
What steps she is taking to increase road safety.
On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Alongside the strategy, 5 consultations were published, and they will be open until 11 May:motoring offencesintroducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers (category B driving licence)introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older driversimproving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing (categories AM, A1, A2 and A driving licence)mandating vehicle safety technologies in GB type approval The Strategy sets ambitious targets to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65%, and 70% for children under 16, by 2035. Five consultations were launched alongside the Strategy addressing vulnerable road users, vehicle safety technologies and motoring offences.The steps we take to improve road safety will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board which I will chair as the Minister for Local Transport.Road safety is a shared responsibility, and the new strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives. By investing in infrastructure, education, and enforcement, we are taking decisive steps to make our roads safer for everyone.
Whether he has made an assessment of the merits of ending the NHS' Federated Data Platform contract with Palantir.
The current contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform is for seven years, ending in 2031, with the initial term ending March 2027. Advice is given regularly on the contract and performance, and ministers have been given advice on the need for a decision this year on the extension of the contract in line with standard contract management processes. We continuously assess performance against the contract, and performance of the programme as a whole, and publish data on uptake and benefits each quarter.
Whether additional funding for the Targeted Plus group will be ring fenced.
The department is taking steps to ensure that this additional funding will be spent for its intended purpose to support mainstream inclusion, this includes providing funding such as the Inclusive Mainstream Fund as a separate grant with reporting conditions and guidance to be published to achieve this. Our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform consultation document proposes a continuum of support for children’s needs. Support will range from the Universal offer (including high-quality adaptive teaching) to the Targeted layer (such as small group provision) and Targeted Plus support (such as speech and language therapy). We are providing additional funding to boost the capacity of mainstream settings to meet this continuum of need, before any legislative changes. The department will publish guidance and conditions of grant to ensure that settings and local authorities spend the funding on this purpose. The Inclusive Mainstream fund provides over £500 million per year for schools, colleges and early years settings so they can improve their inclusive practice. We have published information on £1.8 billion for local authorities over the three years to provide a new Experts at Hand offer, strengthening the capability of mainstream settings to meet SEND needs by providing access to expert support from education and health professionals.
Whether proposed SEND reforms include provision for education other than in school.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a variable pace transitional arrangement with different commencement dates for dynamic alignment for the UK's agricultural sector depending on the degree of divergence and time needed to prepare.
The Government is currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with its biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and regulatory barriers for British producers and retailers. These negotiations are ongoing, and transition arrangements remain part of the government’s thinking. The Government continues to work closely with stakeholders to get input on our negotiating priorities.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce livestock crime.
The Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime. That is why the Government collaborated with the National Police Chiefs’ Councils to deliver their renewal of the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which was published in November. The strategy, lasting until 2028, will ensure efforts to reduce crime benefit every community no matter where they live, including rural communities. Last financial year (2025/26), the Government provided £800,000 of funding to the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, and it is providing the same level of funding across 2026/27. These capabilities play key roles in helping police across the UK tackle organised theft and disrupt serious and organised crime groups, which can pose unique challenges for policing in large and isolated rural areas. The Government was pleased to support the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, which came into force on 18 March 2026. It modernised the definitions and scope of the offence, strengthened police powers to collect evidence and prosecute offenders, and increased the maximum penalty from a £1,000 fine to an “unlimited” fine, to act as a deterrent for livestock worrying.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce fly tipping in rural areas.
Local councils are responsible for keeping their public land clear of fly-tipped waste, including public rural areas. Local councils have powers to take enforcement action against offenders. Anyone caught fly-tipping may be prosecuted which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. Instead of prosecuting, local councils can choose to issue a fixed penalty notice (on-the-spot fine) of up to £1,000 to fly-tippers. Councils also have powers to seize and search vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. We encourage and support councils to make good use of their enforcement powers. For example, we have recently published best practice guidance and case studies on the website of the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, which will support councils to make better use of their power to seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping. We committed in our manifesto to force fly-tippers and vandals to clean up their mess. Defra will consult on giving local councils the powers to issue fly-tippers with conditional cautions, one of a range of pre-court community-based sanctions. These cautions could see offenders complete up to 20 hours of unpaid work, cleaning our streets or parks, and pay back the cost of cleaning up the waste that they have dumped on public land. If an offender admits to the crime, agrees to the caution and complies with the conditions, they will not face prosecution. We are looking at measures to award penalty points on driving licences for those found guilty of fly-tipping, which could lead to them losing their licences altogether. This would make it harder for offenders to continue dumping illegally if they are disqualified from driving and send a clear warning that fly-tipping is not tolerated. In addition to that, we recently published the Waste Crime Action Plan which sets out how we will tackle waste crime through prevention, enforcement, and accelerating the clean-up effort. More information can be found on: Waste Crime Action Plan - GOV.UK.
What steps she is taking to financially support hospitality businesses that are dealing with the loss of business rates relief and an increase in their rateable value at the same time.
At the Budget, the Valuation Office announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation, which came into effect on 1 April. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. In recognition of the impact of the revaluation on bills, the Government has introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion, to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills. This includes an expanded Supporting Small Business scheme, which caps the bill increases of ratepayers who previously received retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible RHL properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties. Unlike RHL relief, the new multipliers are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there is no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England benefit. The RHL multipliers are set 5 pence below their national equivalents. As they are funded by a high-value multiplier on the top one per cent of properties, making them even lower would have led to a higher multiplier for high-value properties, including high-value RHL properties and those used by Industrial Strategy sectors. As a result of these measures, most properties seeing increases have them capped at 15 per cent or less in 2026/27, or £800 for the smallest.
Whether she has made an assessment of the merits of increasing the Business Rates discount to twenty percent for hospitality venues.
At the Budget, the Valuation Office announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation, which came into effect on 1 April. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. In recognition of the impact of the revaluation on bills, the Government has introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion, to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills. This includes an expanded Supporting Small Business scheme, which caps the bill increases of ratepayers who previously received retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible RHL properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties. Unlike RHL relief, the new multipliers are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there is no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England benefit. The RHL multipliers are set 5 pence below their national equivalents. As they are funded by a high-value multiplier on the top one per cent of properties, making them even lower would have led to a higher multiplier for high-value properties, including high-value RHL properties and those used by Industrial Strategy sectors. As a result of these measures, most properties seeing increases have them capped at 15 per cent or less in 2026/27, or £800 for the smallest.
Whether she has made an assessment of the merits of delaying the Business Rates revaluation for hospitality businesses.
At the Budget, the Valuation Office announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation, which came into effect on 1 April. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. In recognition of the impact of the revaluation on bills, the Government has introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion, to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills. This includes an expanded Supporting Small Business scheme, which caps the bill increases of ratepayers who previously received retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible RHL properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties. Unlike RHL relief, the new multipliers are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there is no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England benefit. The RHL multipliers are set 5 pence below their national equivalents. As they are funded by a high-value multiplier on the top one per cent of properties, making them even lower would have led to a higher multiplier for high-value properties, including high-value RHL properties and those used by Industrial Strategy sectors. As a result of these measures, most properties seeing increases have them capped at 15 per cent or less in 2026/27, or £800 for the smallest.